Forgive Me (Echo x Medic Reader)

Part 15

A/N - Sorry for the late update. Got a little sidetracked with projects outside of writing (digital art and cross-stitching). Thank you to everyone who supported the story so far, I hope it lives up to the expectations set. May the force be with you, always x 

The war was coming to a close, no one could deny it. The senators who fought in the senate knew the end was drawing nearer, although none could say for sure what if it was they could sense coming to an end. All they could say for sure was the unexplainable feeling of dread and impending doom, lingering in the air. The Jedi too had felt it, along with the harsh judgment cast upon them by the very people they had fought to protect. The judgment that now branded them as much of enemies as the Separatists they fought against. The judgment that called them bloodthirsty warmongers.

In the months since Echo had been rescued by the daring Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, his loyal Captain Rex, and the Enhanced Commando unit collectively known as The Bad Batch. A fair bit had changed. Echo had made the decision to join the Bad Batch, going on missions and adventures with them across the galaxy, slowly accepting the truth he'd tried so hard to deny, he wasn't the same Arc Trooper he once was, although still an asset, he was more machine than clone now.

But his decision to join the Bad Batch had come at a price. He had to leave (Y/N) behind. She was assigned to the 501st and would remain with them until she was either reassigned or the war ended. With Kix going MIA, Snap was the only medic the boys in blue had, the only one they trusted enough to attend to their wounds and open up to about the brutality of the war. She was a trusted and loyal friend to every clone she met, in return, they treated her as if she was one of their own, as Cody put it, she had an army of protective brothers.

At first, Echo had been reluctant to leave (Y/N) behind, during his quiet moments aboard the Marauder, her thoughts would drift to her and the concern she would feel abandoned by him grew in power. He'd forget about the conversations he had with her while recovering from his traumatic experience as a prisoner of war, he'd forgotten the advice Snap had given him while offering encouragement. Telling him to find his place and himself, encouraging him to put himself first instead of everyone else.

"Still thinking about her?" asked Hunter, noticing Echo had been staring off into hyperspace for quite some time now. The blue and white swirls reflected in his pale eyes. The assignment to Kaller was minor compared to the majority of troopers reassigned to Coruscant, General Grevious' attack there seemingly shook everyone, even more so when the droid commander had managed to gain access to one of the more secure buildings on the planet and kidnap the Chancellor.

"She has that effect" replied Echo, suspecting Snap would have been reassigned to Coruscant along with the rest of the 501st. He had little doubt she would have been sent back to the military base, prepared to do her duty as a well-trained and tested medic. "I feel guilty for leaving her behind again. The last time I promised her I would be back, I ended up a prisoner and weapon for years" admitted the Arc Trooper, although he refused to word his other concerns, that it would be her taken from him if something was to go arie this time. After all in recent weeks, the civvi medics and other personnel had been targets of attacks, medics more than others.

"(Y/N) is a fighter, I do not envy those who believe it wise to target her" voiced Tech, not lifting his eyes from the datapad he tapped away at. "My research suggests her last known location was on Coruscant, give me a few more minutes and I should have an exact location" he added, only receiving a hum from Crosshair, he and Hunter were the only ones to really notice Tech like many had become fond of Snap, often keeping an eye on her whereabouts over the time since building a friendship.

"The 104th, 212th, and 501st's are with her. What could go wrong?" questioned Wrecker, all knew Octavius was a constant thorn but had thrust far been easily deterred, as had Isolde, who spent the majority of her time trying to regain Octavius' attention, especially when she realized he had put it back on to her younger sister. If Isolde wasn't trying to get Octavius back, then she was making a poor attempt at her job, which normally ensured the Jedi were updated on any changes, should anything have changed during the short and normally uneventful trip from the temple to the military base. More often than not it appeared Isolde was sabotaging the Jedi she was supposed to keep informed, a few times her stupidity had been mistaken for terrorist acts.

The moment the elite unit landed on Kaller, the focus became the mission at hand. Echo forced the thoughts of (Y/N) to the back of his mind, promising himself he would return to them later. For now, he had to keep his mind on the here and now and ensure Jedi Master Depa Billada and her Padawan Caleb Dume had the support they needed, even if they didn't have the backup requested.

The job was simple enough, provide aid to allow the occupation to continue with as little as possible. If need be settle the hostile residents of the planet, who had plainly stated they didn't see a difference between the Separatist Occupation and that of the Republic, both had caused destruction and brought war with them. At the top of a snowy peak, the five soldiers were met by Caleb Dume, who seemed surprised by there only being five, it being clear he and likely his master had expected an attack battalion rather than the enhanced squad.

The battle had been easy enough, a standard mission. Hunter and Crosshair had assessed the enemy forces, with the sergeant deciding on the plan to use. By the time the skirmish was over, Wrecker had another battle droid over his shoulders and Crosshair was nudging some scattered across the battlefield if only to ensure they were deactivated. Hunter had gone over to General and those hiding with her, Tech and Echo following behind, with the former still trying to access seemingly locked files.

Everything had been as it should be, a regular assignment with an easy solution to it. Everything was normal until it wasn't. When one order came through and continued to repeat.

Execute Order 66.